Aromatic Brown Sugar Pudding (Pongal)

This Aromatic Pudding using brown sugar is famous in India. It is a wonderful dessert and very unique. For a dessert it is pretty healthy, since it uses ingredients that have a lot of nutrients. But that does not compromise the taste of this dessert in any way. Hope you like it!

Hover over the highlighted Keywords below for Images and/or Description of some of the Ingredients:
Cardamom, Cashews, Raisins, Channa Dahl, Mung Dahl, Rice

Aromatic Brown Sugar Rice Pudding

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Serves	4
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Dessert
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Region	Indian

Ingredients

1/2 cup Channa Dahl
1/2 cup Mung Dahl
1 cup Plain White Rice
2 cups Milk (Whole Milk or Reduced Fat)
3 - 4 cups Water
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter (melted) or Ghee
2 - 3 teaspoons Cardamom Powder (If using Pods, 10 to 15 pods.)
1/4 cup Cashews (Broken into small pieces)
1/4 cup Raisins

Note

Serving Suggestions:
1) Serve hot.

Options:
1) If you want to use less milk, or no milk at all, substitute it with the same amount of water.
2) You can reduce the amount of butter.
3) You can use all Channa Dahl and no Mung Dahl.

Directions

Step 1
Place a skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Add Channa Dahl and Mung Dahl. Keep stirring for about a minute, or until a slight flavor emanates from the two Dahl's. Do not fry too much.
Step 2
If you are using a pressure cooker, place the rice, the roasted channa dahl and mung dahl, the milk and 3 cups of water. When pressure reaches the maximum, turn the heat to Low or Simmer and let it cook for 2 more minutes. Switch off the stove. Do not open until the pressure is completely down. Give it time. When it is ready, transfer the cooked rice and dahl to a deep and wide non-stick pan. Go to Step 4.
Step 3
If you are using a pan to cook the rice and dahl's, use a deep and wide non-stick pan. Place the rice, the roasted Channa Dahl and Mung Dahl, the milk and 4 cups of water. Cook in low to medium heat, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until the contents look mashable, and the water is all soaked up. Switch off the stove.
Step 4
If you are using Cardamom Pods, remove the skin of the pods. Crush the cardamom in a mortar and pestle, or with a heavy rolling pin, or in some other way. The ground cardamom need not be powdery, but it needs to be crushed quite well.
Step 5
Mix well or lightly mash the rice-dahl contents in the pan using a suitable heavy ladle or large spoon. Mash lightly so that it is partially mashed. It should NOT look like mashed potatoes. See the picture.
Step 6
Turn on the heat. Set it to Low or Simmer. Add the brown sugar and mix until it is thoroughly melted and blended with the rice-dahl combo mixture.
Step 7
Add the cardamom powder to the contents in the pan. Add the melted butter or ghee, saving 2 tablespoons for frying the cashews and raisins. Mix thoroughly.
Step 8
Place a small skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Add the cashews. Fry until golden brown. DO NOT fry too much. Remove cashews and place it in a small bowl.
Step 9
In the remaining butter in the skillet, add the raisins. Fry until they puff up and look fried. DO NOT fry too much.
Step 10
Add the cashews and raisins to the rice pudding mix in the pan. Mix thoroughly. Switch off the stove.
Step 11
Serve hot. If you are serving later, heat up the Brown Sugar Rice Pudding in the microwave oven.